When demolishing any large building, such as a shopping centre or block of apartments, it is inevitable that a large amount of waste concrete will be generated. However, this concrete does not have to be carried off to a landfill site or left in place as an eyesore for the local community. Instead, it can be recycled and reused. Below is a guide to how different types of concrete can be salvaged from a demolition site and recycled.

Complete concrete slabs

If the demolition was completed by hand rather than with the use of explosives, this increases the chance that slabs of concrete will be left in a complete and undamaged state. A demolition team will be able to remove and collect pieces of concrete such as roof tiles and flooring titles so that they can be reused on a new building project. Larger slabs of concrete may need to be removed using heavy equipment and may prove more tricky to recycle. However, these slabs are often in demand with companies which want to incorporate an industrial look into a new building.

Damaged pieces of concrete and rubble

If your demolition project has left you with pieces of concrete rubble which have been cracked or broken down into rubble, it can make the process of recycling a slightly difficult when compared to dealing with complete concrete slabs. The demolition company will collect and transport any damaged pieces of concrete to a specialist concrete recycling unit. There, the rubble and pieces will be fed into a machine which will crush and ground down into concrete aggregate. The aggregate can then be used to lay new roadways, sideways or to reinforce new concrete structures.

Poured concrete

Poured concrete is perhaps the sort of concrete which presents the most problems. A poured concrete surface such as a large carpark or floor will often survive unscathed from a demolition which uses explosives. While it is possible to employ a demolition team to breakdown, a poured concrete surface; this can be time-consuming and costly. If it cannot be recycled, you may wish instead to consider using the poured concrete surface as the foundation for any new building which will be built on the site of the demolition.

If you would like further information and advice about how to deal with the concrete waste generated by your demolition project, you should contact a demolition material recycling service near you.